An Apocalypse Survival Christmas 2

So this is survival Christmas number two! Sorry I couldn't get this one out sooner, been a busy few weeks. Well it seems we have all survived the 2012 apocalypse then, oh well, I think we were all secretly hoping for it. Those who know me well enough to buy me a gift, I'm sure you've noticed my Amazon wishlist has a bit of a theme. Pretty much an even mix of survival gear and vinyl records. Apparently even with the survival gear I still qualify as a hipster. For the most part I have about all I need (or can afford) for gear. I certainly have way more than I can carry, so why more? It just seems like every time I feel like I have it all, I find out about some awesome new thing that must be mine.

 

 

My first gift this year was from my dad, a Smith & Wesson tactical pen. (Pictured right) There are a few of these types of pens out there, but I haven't really heard to much about them. The basic idea is an aluminum pen with a decent point at one end that can be used as a stabbing implement in a defensive situation. Now hopefully I won't have to resort to my pen for self defense, but you never know. Ideally I carry a firearm on my person at all times, but there are dozens of times a month I would say, where this is not an option. For instance when I head down to the city, or when at work. Now usually at these times I do have some kind of weapon on me, generally a knife at all times and the addition of my Kimber pepper blaster when visiting the five boroughs. Now the very few times that I would be without either I would say is if I left my knife at home by accident when I headed to work. This is a pretty rare occurrence. Being a mechanic I utilize a pocket knife dozens of times in a day, making my lockback as important to carry as my wallet. This being said, I like to have at least one backup for every piece of gear I own, and dual purpose items are a plus. I need a pen at work anyway, so it might as well have a tactical purpose. Now I know all of these factors are extremely unlikely to occur all at once, but I prefer to hedge my bets. So lets assume I head to work and forget my knife, then head to lunch with some of the guys. For the most part the guys at work are all into this kinda stuff, but there are a few that would be unnerved by "lemme just run out to the car and grab my gun." So in these situations, the weapon is safely locked away (unloaded and cable locked) in the glove box. In this highly unlikely situation, I would be completely unarmed. In my youth I would never have had a problem with this, but a couple pulled back muscles and an old ankle injury have made me question how well I could really handle myself in a fight nowadays. Something solid to defend myself with is just as much a sense of security as it is a real asset, so I'll take it. 

 

First impressions of it are that it feels pretty solid, with a nice clip that is bolted on with two torx screws. This was one reason that this model caught my eye. Many of them have a clip that is attached with a semi-circle of metal that can easily pop loose when snagged. An issue I constantly run into with Streamlight pen lights. (more on that in a bit) One surprise was that it had a screw on top, making the "stabby" end the bottom of the pen. The top unscrews from the main body of the pen and sits on the pointy bit while writing. At first glance on the internet it looked like a click or screw type retractable. Not really an issue that affects performance, but with daily use it is a little more annoying to be constantly unscrewing the top to use it. As far as quality it is akin to a decent quality aluminum flashlight. The screw doesn't have a seal of any kind so submersion in water probably wouldn't be an option. Though all that would be damaged is the refill, I won't be checking how well the machined aluminum seals until I have a refill in hand. The only major disappointment in the pen I would say is that it's kind of a crappy pen. For stabbing, seems great, pen part not so much. Writing feels like a cheap-o bic. Admittedly I am a bit of a snob in this regard, preferring Uni-ball or Pilot Precise for daily use. Hopefully the refill is a common type, allowing for the option to upgrade to a fountain or higher quality roller ball. Overall seems like a good deal, especially since it it only costs about 20 dollars on Amazon. For something like this the thing you need to consider is that you can't plan for everything, and sometimes you cannot justify paying a lot for something you will hopefully never use. Until I hear of someone actually having to use this, there is just no way to know what the performance will be. All I can put forward is that it's a working pen, and I would not want someone to stab me with it.

 

Another gift I got (also from Dad) Is the Streamlight ProTac 2AA LED flashlight. (Pictured above) I have owned one in the past but had lost it. I am extremely happy with pretty much any Streamlight product I have used. I believe I have reviewed them before so I won't be too long winded with this one. Solid, durable and reliable, you really can't go wrong with this light. With a 120 lumen max output it is really bright. It has a 1.75 hour run time on the highest setting, 4 hours on the low setting. It also has a strobe feature and a rubber push button tail cap. Excellent tactical flashlight and small enough for everyday carry in your pocket. The only real down side to this light is the clip, if it gets snagged on something it goes flying. I have had this issue with all of my penlights from Streamlight. I think I have four or five AAA versions missing the clip. If you were to use the included nylon holster this wouldn't be an issue I suppose, but I just have too much crap strapped to myself already. 

 

With the help of Christmas money I was able to finally purchase a decent bicycle, something I have wanted for a long time. A bike is something everyone really should have, It's great exercise, (something I certainly need) as well as a gasoline free form of transportation. Just seeing the panic that ensued at the pumps after hurricane Sandy, I can only wonder what would happen if there was a national fuel crisis. With my bike I could get back and forth to work and the store, albeit much more slowly. At about 10 miles it will be a bit of a haul to work but it is doable. I look forward to giving it a shot when it gets a bit warmer. When I went to get my bike I had a Cannondale Quick CX in mind. Msrp was around the 600 dollar mark. What I really wanted was the higher end one with disc brakes, unfortunately way out of my price range. So while at the store I asked about some of the other brands to see if there was something comparable in my price range. The salesperson suggested a Specialized Crosstrail. All the same features of the Cannondale I wanted, but below the 600 dollar mark. I felt the disc brakes were more important than the brand, so after some quick Googling of reviews on my phone, I went with his suggestion and I am very happy with it. Riding around the city of Poughkeepsie, the ability to stop on a dime makes me feel much safer. When selecting a model, front suspension and slightly aggressive tires were important to me. I like being able to cut through parks and hop up and over curbs easily. Though I don't think this particular model would be great on the trail, it works well for mild off road use. Today after work will be my first long distance ride, hoping to get 20 miles in before dark.

 

 

My Review of VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS Men's TrekSport

Originally submitted at Eastern Mountain Sports

With an emphasis on traction and performance, the FiveFingers TrekSport features a cleated 4 mm Vibram rubber outsole and a Coconut Active Carbon upper for natural breathability and abrasion resistance.

VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS Men's TrekSport

Five fingers will change your life.

By Captain Hitop from Poughkeepsie NY on 12/23/2012

 

5out of 5

Sizing: Feels true to size

Width: Feels too narrow

Pros: Comfortable, Durable, Lightweight

Cons: Not Water Resistant

Best Uses: Mixed Terrain, Grass, Around the house, Rocky/Unstable Terrain, At The Gym, Everyday, Paved Trails

Describe Yourself: Recreational Walker/Hiker, Survivalist

Was this a gift?: No

Vibram five fingers are by far the most comfortable shoe you will ever wear. I have been wearing these every day for about a year and I now own three pairs. They are really comfortable and lightweight. Humans are not built to wear shoes, so why wear something that is bulky and impedes natural movement? Ever since I started wearing these all my back problems have dissapeared. I feel less fatigued after walking and they are just flat out more comfortable. They can be a bit cold in the winter so I recommend buying a pair a size up to accomodate socks. My only complaint is that they no longer make this model in leather, and that they don't offer enough models in earth tones. Try them out, they will change your life.

Bailey, uninterested in my new footwear...

Tags: Using Product, Picture of Product

(legalese)

Tinder

Dry tinder is the first and most important ingredient in a fire. Building a fire is all about adding bigger and bigger pieces slowly until it can sustain itself. It all starts with a tiny ember, unless you're using gasoline that is. For most of my fires I use a farrow rod, and I have dozens of favorites for tinder. In this post I will outline a few of the best ones. One you can make, one that is plentiful in urban areas and two that can be found in the wild.

The first can be made at home or at the campsite, it's called charcloth. To make your own charcloth start with any cloth made of 100% cotton. Place it inside a tin that can be sealed, an Altoids tin works well, and puncture a small hole in the top with a knife. Place the tin in the coals of a fire and give it about five minutes, it should stay in until you can no longer see smoke coming from the hole. Remove the tin and once it's cool check the cloth. It should have turned totally black and be very delicate, ripping easily. The cotton has now turned to pure carbon and will take the tiniest spark. Keep it dry and it will light first try every time.

The second is simple steel wool, found at places like Home Depot or any automotive shop. Steel wool takes a spark easily and will glow red hot when blown on. Lighting it with a match works well too. Placing a 9 volt battery on the surface of the wool will also cause it to ignite.

Cattail is going to be the easiest to spot, everyone knows what they look like. Not only are they edible, but at this time of year they are great when gathered for tinder. By now they are all dried out and the normally densely packed seeds have now turned to a fluffy white mass. Simply place in the middle of your tinder bundle and drop in an ember. If they are still fresh and brown they can be dried for a few days after breaking them off the plant.

The fourth is a bit harder to find, It's called Chaga. Chaga is a fungus that grows exclusively on birch trees. Birch bark has an oil in it that is extremely flammable, and this fungus absorbs this oil. Birch bark itself is an excellent fire starter, but this stuff takes it to a whole other level. Once it takes a spark it's actually hard to put out. I carry a chunk with me in my bag at all times. To find it you want to look for a large black mass growing on a birch tree. When broken open, it's a reddish orange inside.

Maxpedition Fatboy Versipack

Those that know me have seen my "Survival Attache" before. When I first got into all this survival stuff I realized that in order to be prepared at all I would need more than what I could carry. So my approach has become somewhat akin to not keeping all my eggs in one basket. If I lose one cache of gear, I have another backup. The basic idea is to have everything you need to survive within your home. Then to have enough to survive till you get home within your vehicle, and enough to survive till you get to your vehicle on your person. Go bags are pretty easy, just imagine you're going on a camping trip with the possibility of being robbed or shot at. Now it is certainly not possible to carry all that crap around with you all day, but you can carry the basics. I won't go into everything I carry as I already did a blog post on that. ( It's not a purse, It's a "Survival Attache" )





What I want to talk about is my new bag, the Maxpedition Fatboy Versipack. I heard about these bags from an ad in a magazine, they looked pretty good so I did some research. The reviews were overall very good aside from the occasional complaint that it was too small. (I can see that complaint, it seems bigger in the picture. If you want something bigger they do make the jumbo model, which I haven't checked out yet. ) There are many options with these bags, for this model there is the regular one and the GTG. This is the standard one. (The video below illustrates the differences) So you will have to decide what suits your purposes best.

First impressions are, damn, this may be too small. After a few days though that feeling has passed. It really forces you to prioritize. So I am carrying a smaller water bottle, but all the other essentials I was able to fit after organizing a bit. The construction is very heavy duty and it is quite obvious this will outlast my off brand bag. With many pockets and compartments it makes excellent use of the limited space and has molle style webbing so it can be expanded if needed. The major selling point for me was the dedicated concealed carry pocket at the back. Any hook and loop (velcro) universal holster fits but you can get one right from them for about ten bucks. The bag being a bit small it wont accommodate my 1911, but the XD fits (barely) and my little Smith and Wesson is the perfect size. If you don't plan on using it for this purpose the back pocket would still come in handy.




My complaints are few, but they should be noted. The "cell phone pocket" is a joke. Even a bottom shelf free phone barely fits. You could never fit a smart phone in it. The GTG model has eliminated this pocket, and put molle webbing in its place. I wish this was the case for mine, but I decided the rear pocket with the molle and the magazine pocket was worth the sacrifice and went with this model. I do wish my 1911 would fit, but I didn't expect it to. I am not a fan of off body carry, and rarely do it. If anything I wanted options. Now if I'm just running out in shorts and a t-shirt I can sling the bag with the .38 in it and not worry about a bulky holster. It also gives me an option for a backup in the bag with a primary on my hip. My final complaint is that It's made in Taiwan. Now I am not one to avoid a product based on it's country of manufacture, I would just prefer it was made here. If it is a quality product, I will deal with it. Overall an incredibly comfortable and well made little bag. At 78$ it seems like a very good deal. The quality being way higher than many bags I've seen. The bag can be purchased through the Maxpedition website, but I found it a bit cheaper on Amazon.

Springfield Operator 1911

Wanted to do a quick review of my new pistol, the Springfield Operator. This pistol is one that I've wanted for quite awhile, but never could afford. It's part of Springfield's loaded series of 1911 pistols. This one in particular was co-designed by Springfield Armory and the US Marine corps. The idea behind this weapon is to take all the aspects of a highly accurate competition 1911 pistol and apply them a rugged, all steel 1911. The result is quite impressive, I never knew I could shoot this well.

A little background on the 1911. It was designed by John Browning and adopted by the US military in 1911. Being that it is still in use today, it is the longest running firearm used by any military in history. (Shotguns possibly being the exception to that, but that's more of a class than a model) The 1911 platform is widely agreed upon by most shooters as the greatest handgun ever made. With a manual safety and a grip safety it was also a very safe gun to carry. With the harder hitting .45 caliber round it was an obvious choice for military use. Even today we are seeing a move away from the 9mm cartridge by many military entities. Opting now for more specialty cartridges including .40 caliber, and using old standbys like the .45 caliber.

There are literally thousands of choices when it comes to a 1911 purchase. My reasoning behind this purchase was mostly due to reputation and brand loyalty. It also helps that this model comes Olive Drab. One thing that I knew I really wanted was an integrated accessory rail. This is not all that common in the 1911 world, but is starting gain some momentum. The ability to attach a light and laser is a great thing to have. The added weight of the frame also helps with recoil and muzzle rise, lending to faster follow up shots. Weighing in at 42 oz. it is a very heavy gun, but I kinda like that about it. They do have the lightweight operator, with an aluminum frame, which is much lighter at 32 oz. If the full steel frame is too heavy for you it would be a good option.

Some other standard features on this gun are Trijicon® night sights and a match trigger. Along with a Pacmayer® rubberized wraparound grip, and ambidextrous safety. The gun also comes with two magazines, a paddle holster, double mag holder, and a cleaning rod. Surprisingly the holster is great, I like it almost more than the DeSantis® leather one I purchased. When I purchased my Springfield XD a few years ago, the holster it came with was not so good. This one I will definitely get use out of. Just the two magazines is a plus, generally they only come with one. I guess for the price it should be expected, but they include two even with the lower end models.

Shooting this gun is by far the best time I've ever had shooting a pistol. The added weight makes the recoil completely manageable, and speed shooting is cake. This is a gun that even a novice shooter could stack bullets with. The large grip may make it tough for some, but with average to larger hands it's quite comfortable to shoot. The only downside I have noticed is that 7 rounds in the magazine goes quick. You really need to practice reloads.


Being a New Yorker we have to deal with a ten round maximum in any magazine manufactured after 1994. So the seven round magazines arent that much less capacity, but I do prefer ten rounds whenever possible. It wouldn't seem like that three rounds would make much of a difference, but it does take some getting used to. Luckily when you order a loaded series 1911 from Springfield, they offer you a one time accessory order at cost. Which means ten round clips for 18 bucks each, nearly half price. The downside to these is they stick out quite a bit, not great for concealment. So they sit in my bag ready for a reload.

Its now been about a month since I picked up this pistol, and about five trips to the range. With about 500 rounds downrange it has performed flawlessly,  with one exception. The malfunction I kept having was an inability to unload the weapon with a round chambered, very scary situation. After a ton of trial and error, it turns out ammo was the culprit.  Hornady TAP +P specifically. It was actually too tall for my gun, causing the bullet to lodge in the barrel. I have never seen this happen before, the gun is rated for +P ammo, and the ammo is in spec, they just don't work. It all has to do with head spacing in the barrel. .45 automatics with closer tolerances will not accept this particular ammo, but it works fine in all the polymer pistols we tried at the gun shop. I am now running Hornady critical defense .45 auto in 165 grain.

Overall I am incredibly happy with this pistol, if you have the means I highly recommend you pick one up. If not, a more affordable option can be found in the range officer model from Springfield. All the real world benefits without all the bells and whistles.

Solar Battery Backup

This is a quick review of a solar powered backup battery I picked up. I wanted one of these so I could charge my iPod and phone while out on the trail. I got this one on Amazon for under 30 dollars. The reviews were mixed, but I figured for the price it was worth a shot. The specs are 3 hours to charge with the wall outlet, 5 hours via USB, and 6 hours will give a 50% charge in full sun. From what the manual says you can't get above a 50% charge with sunlight, but the solar aspect is more for topping off.

First impressions are as mixed as the reviews. The solar panel looks very well made, sturdy and scratch resistant. The rest on the other hand, not so much. It has the feel of one of those iPod knock offs you win at the boardwalk. But hey, it was only 30 bucks. It also has a state of charge indicator on the back and an led on a flexible stalk. I'm sure I will get of use out of the light.

For the first charge they recommend a full charge via wall outlet. So three hours later I gave it a try, it charges my iPod, success so far. Over the next few days I topped off my devices, and did two full charges on my phone. (had to recharge the backup twice) So far it delivers as advertised. I would probably get about ten full charges on my iPod Nano, and one and a half on my Droid with one full charge on the backup. This is going to be really great for battery sucking train rides to the city. I did attempt to charge an ipad, no luck there. It sucked the backup down to zero and barely reached 5% charged.

Today, with the backup totally dead, I left it in the sun from 9 am to around 2:30. As promised, it charged to 50%. Another hour later it was still there, so 50% does seem to be the max for solar charging. Not ideal, but it would certainly be enough to keep a phone running, and more than enough for an iPod. Overall I'm pretty happy with it. The downfall will certainly be durability. I really don't think this thing would survive even a mild drop. But for the price I can't complain. It will be perfect for commuting and for camping.

Remora No Clip Holster

For those that carry, I'm sure you have had trouble finding that perfect holster. As far as I can tell, it doesn't exist. There are a few that come damn close, and Remora is one of those holsters. I have found over the last few years that you really do need a holster for every occasion, including the clothing being worn and the temperature outside. Are you headed somewhere that it won't be a big deal if you show a bit? Or will it be a major problem if your gun is showing? For me the big problem I always had was on the motorcycle. I was having so much trouble concealing my XD that I went out an bought a .38 for pocket carry.

At that time I was using an in IWB (in waistband) holster from Desantis. I dont want to knock that holster, it is incredibly comfortabe, and well made. The only problem is to carry on the hip you need to buy pants 1-2 sizes too big. To carry at the small of the back works well, but you cannot sit down as the gun sticks straight out. This holster was out of the question when riding the motorcycle as well for this reason. My second holster purchase for that gun was another Desantis, this one a leather outside the waistband. Another fine holster, but much harder to conceal. It can be hidden under a t-shirt, but there is a noticeable bulge. The average person wouldn't notice, but it is there. This holster is excellent for carry under a jacket or sweatshirt, but summer is here and that is not gonna work too well. The major downside I haven't mentioned yet is that I can't utilize any of my lights or lasers.

I have searched for years to find an IWB holster that will fit my gun with the light attached. There are many Kydex options for outside the waistband, but very few for IWB carry. I first heard of Remora from video reviews on Youtube, all of which were overwhelmingly positive. They have an interesting design, using a rubberized, grippy material for retention instead of clips. This allows you to place it in your waistband wherever you prefer and at any angle. It doesn't seem like it would be secure enough, but after the videos I saw I was sold. So I ordered one, amazingly it was only 35 dollars. Along with my order I inquired about 1911 holsters, as they didn't list a holster for the model I'm planning on buying.






I recieved an email from Alan (presumably the owner) within a day, thanking me for my order and my inquiry about the 1911 holster. He gave me the model number for the holster I would need, and told me to reference the email for a free mag holder for my trouble. I was amazed, it really was no trouble at all. So about 5 days later my XD holster arrived, with a personalized note from Alan. First impressions are very positive, high quality construction and nice look. I ordered the model to fit my XD 40 with a 4 inch barrel and light modification with the reinforced top. On my first try I actually had to put the holster in place before I buttoned up my jeans, it was that grippy. Once in place, it would not budge, draws nicely and had a good feel IWB. The only downside, my light didn't fit, The gun alone works just fine, but it was too tight with the light attached. I figured I must have ordered the wrong size, so I double check the part number. No luck, I ordered the right one and it doesn't fit. So I email them and used the holster without the light for the time being.

During daily carry it worked great, deep concealment even on the bike, and really secure. About two days later I recieve an email from Alan. He apologized for the problem and said it was most likely due to the reinforced top option. It stretches the material wider, making the clearance on the bottom smaller, only allowing the smallest of lights and lasers. He went on to apologize for the issue, and said he would send out a replacement that would work better. As far as the first one I got, he said to keep it in case I had a friend who could use it or I wanted to carry without my light. I was blown away by this, by far the best customer service I have recieved in a long time.

A few days later my replacement arrived, and it works great. The only downside is without the reinforced top, reholstering is a little tougher. A minor sacrifice to make for having my light at the ready. I suppose it's the draw that really counts anyway. I have carried with this holster for about a week straight and it has not so much as budged once. Draws cleanly and easily, and is very comfortable as I can put it wherever I want regardless of what I wear. The biggest surprise of all, was the 1911 holster included in the package. A free gift to make up for the inconvenience, what an amazing company. Now I really can't wait to get my 1911. Remora has certainly gained a customer for life.

http://remoraholsters.com/